Consumers are increasingly using mobile as their preferred method of communication, and the greeting card industry has evolved to help consumers send personalized messages via multiple mobile channels.

From QR codes, applications and mobile Web, the greeting card industry is embracing the mobile channel. Although the industry has been slow to adjust compared to other mobile sectors, many greeting card companies are realizing that mobile is not just a part of a digital strategy ? it deserves to be treated as a separate marketing channel.

?Mobile is critical to Hallmark's strategy both for the usage of smartphones on the go and tablets for a fun user experience and ease of use while at home,? said Mary Putman, digital strategy director at Hallmark Digital, Kansas City.

?We have seen a switch here, but right now maybe less so than other industries, but I expect us to see more change from mobile,? she said.

Mobile greetings
Hallmark has tapped into mobile with a large emphasis on QR codes and branded apps.

The company recently rolled out a line of Halloween-themed greeting cards with QR codes that were aimed at adding a second layer of engagement for children.

Additionally, the company has explored iOS apps that let users find nearby Hallmark stores and tie in with the company?s loyalty programs.

The company also has storyboard apps and has plans to tap into the Android operating system soon.

For this holiday season, Hallmark released an iPad app that let users browse the retailer's collection of Christmas ornaments, email wish lists and find the nearest Hallmark location.

Here is a screen shot of the Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments iPad app

With more consumers and companies choosing digital options for mail, Hallmark plans to continue to ramp up its mobile efforts in 2012 with more experimentation and enhancement to the company?s line of apps.

Digital moves
American Greetings claims to have been using electronic greeting cards for the past 15 years after realizing the shift consumers were making to the Web.

However, now the company has realized that users are less likely to be on a desktop when sending a message to their friends and family and are optimizing their digital components for mobile.

?Mobile is more than just a marketing strategy ? it is about what our customer needs,? said Linda Marshall, brand director at American Greetings Interactive, Cleveland, OH.

?We want to offer mobile solutions because that is where our customers are - they are on the go with their phones and tablets,? she said.

?If our customers are outside of their home, they should be able to pull up an ecard on their phone and send it right then.?

Bluemountain.com, which is a digital greeting card company owned by American Greetings, recently launched an iPad app that lets consumers personalize and send notes. The company worked with agency AvatarLabs on the initiative.

According to Ms. Marshall, the company has prioritized the tablet for its mobile initiatives because its size transitions well for stationary and mail.

American Greetings has an optimized mobile Web site that users can access at m.americangreetings.com

The company also offers a paid ecard service that lets consumers send mobile greeting cards to others using MMS.

Cross-platform cards
It is not just big greeting card companies that are tapping mobile to expand their reach.

Smaller companies are also using mobile to leverage digital content onto mobile devices.

Yourcards.com, which is an ecard Web site that focuses on animation, believes that mobile is essential in reaching the next generation of consumers.

?Our marketing strategy is to provide our users with a cross-platform greeting card solution that gives users unique content and exceptional experience for sending and receiving instant personalized greetings," said John Aslanian, CEO/principal of YourCards, Port Chester, NY.

The YourCards iPhone app

All of the company?s ecards can be shared via social media and email and with the growing number of mobile email and social media users, it is no surprise that mobile is being used as an extension of the brand.

For example, a recent study from Juniper Research predicts that 1.6 billion consumers will access social media sites via mobile by 2016 (see story).

YourCards has an app available for iPhone and Android devices that replicates some of the company?s Web-based cards for mobile devices.

?Although, we continue to have a loyal online user base, we have embraced the growth of mobile and over the past six months have focused on developing iPhone and Android apps that mirror social behavior as a way to reach new users,? Mr. Aslanian said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York